Weight pouch releasable connection device for a scuba diving jacket

ABSTRACT

A device for releasably connecting a weight pouch to a pocket of a scuba diving jacket. The device comprises: a flat sheath integrally connected to the scuba diving jacket; a latch member being attached to the weight pouch and having arms that are elastically deformable in the plane of the sheath and have sides tapered relative to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the sheath to produce a snap closure when the latch member is inserted in the sheath. An inward-projecting abutment inside the sheath engages the ends of the arms when the device is closed, thereby preventing the latch member from sliding out of the sheath. A member is provided for bending the arms of the latch member so as to release them from the position where they abut the abutment in the sheath and enable the device to be opened. The bending member comprises a cap slidingly mounted on the latch member and containing tapered projections for engaging the tapered sides of the arms in order to release the ends of the arms from the abutment in the sheath as a result of relative movement of the cap in relation to the latch member that induces elastic deformation of the arms. The cap and the latch member are preferably connected to the same handle for inducing their relative movement by respective flexible connection elements, of which the one connecting the handle to the latch member is longer than the one connecting the handle to the cap, whereby a tensile force exerted on the handle first causes relative movement of the cap with respect to the latch member inside the sheath

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to sport activities and, more particularly, to articles for underwater activities and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Scuba diving jackets typically have pockets designed to contain ballast elements, usually made of lead, and commonly referred to as “weights”, to facilitate the diver's immersion. These weights are not placed directly in the jacket pockets, but rather are generally added together in one or more pouches until the weight desired by the scuba diver has been reached. Each pouch, generally containing one or more weights, is inserted into the pocket and must be attached to the scuba diving jacket by a releasable connection device that prevents the pouch from falling accidentally out of the pocket, while allowing for the quick and easy release of the pouch when the scuba diver wishes to accelerate his/her return to the surface or to delay his/her descent.

This connection device generally consists of a quick engagement buckle, formed by a female part comprising a sheath integrally attached to the jacket and a male part comprising a latch member consisting of one or more elastically deformable teeth designed to engage in corresponding engagement means provided within the sheath. At the other end of the latch member, the connection device is attached to the weight pouch.

Like any quick engagement buckle, the buckle is closed simply by pushing the latch member inside the sheath. Said relative movement causes the elastic deformation of the teeth on the latch member as they abut against the corresponding engagement means in the sheath; when the teeth on the latch member pass beyond said engagement means, they return in their undeformed condition and engage in the engagement means, thereby preventing the buckle from opening.

The buckle can consequently only be opened by a deliberate action that again deforms the teeth on the latch member and thus disengages them from the engagement means in the sheath. This is the typical operating mode of quick engagement buckles; see, for instance, WO/02/10012.

In known devices of this type used in scuba diving jackets, users have to use their fingers directly to obtain the elastic deformation of the teeth on the latch member in order to open the buckle. Since users are often wearing neoprene gloves of considerable thickness (3 to 5 mm), placing the fingers over the two side slots in the female part of the buckle to squeeze the teeth on the latch member may prove somewhat difficult.

In a “fast” type buckle according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,694, which is not specifically intended for scuba diving equipment, a sliding cap is provided on the buckle that squeezes the teeth on the latch member. This solution was designed for general applications, but is not easy to apply to a weight pouch because the scuba diver would still have to move the sliding cap with his/her gloved fingers.

In other known cases, the buckle is opened by connecting the teeth on the latch member to a handle by means of a flexible connection, such as a tape, so that pulling the handle opens the buckle. A device of this type is described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,761.

The drawbacks and disadvantages of this device consist in that the handle for opening the buckle may be caught against some obstacle, accidentally opening the buckle with the consequent loss of the pouch and the weights it contains.

To overcome the above drawback, according to an earlier invention by the same applicant, the latch member of the quick engagement buckle is associated with an element for locking the latch member: when action is taken on the handle to open the device, the locking element is released in a first, obviously very brief step, then the continuing tensile action on the handle withdraws the latch member from the sheath in a second step, thus opening the buckle.

For this purpose, the locking member and the latch member are connected in parallel to the same handle by means of a pair of flexible elements, the one connected to the locking member being the shorter of the two. When the handle is deliberately pulled, the two steps are obviously very brief, with no interval between them, but any accidental tugging on the handle is unable to maintain the necessary continuity of the tensile action to open the buckle.

Although this device, made by the same applicant, achieves the objects of the invention, it has the following drawbacks: first, in order to close the device, the scuba diver has to perform two operations instead of one, inserting first the latch member and then the locking member. Second, the locking member can be inserted even before the latch member has reached the end of its stroke, whereby the device in question still presents a margin of risk, albeit modest.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for releasable connection of a weight pouch to a weight holding pocket of a scuba diving jacket that enables the above-described drawbacks to be overcome.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a releasable connection device of the above-mentioned type that, by comparison with similar known devices, can be released with less effort and, at the same time, affords a greater guarantee of safety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These objects are achieved by the releasable connection device for the weight holding pocket of a scuba diving jacket according to the present invention, which comprises a flat sheath integrally attached to the scuba diving jacket, a latch member connected to the weight pouch and comprising arms that are elastically deformable in the plane of the sheath and are tapered with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the sheath to enable a snap closure when the latch member is inserted in the sheath, and abutment means inwardly projecting in the sheath for engaging the ends of the arms when the latter are in the position in which the device is closed, thus preventing the latch member from sliding out of the sheath. Means are also provided for bending the arms of the latch member inwards to release them from the position where they rest against the abutment means in the sheath, in order to enable the device to be opened. The means for bending the elastically deformable arms inwards comprise a cap mounted slidingly on the latch member with tapered projections designed to engage with the tapered sides of the arms in order to release the ends of the arms from the abutment means inside the sheath as a result of a relative movement of the cap with respect to the latch member that induces an elastic deformation of the arms. The cap and the latch member are connected to the same handle for inducing said relative movement through respective flexible connection members, the member connecting the handle to the latch member being longer than the member connecting the handle to the cap, whereby a tensile force exerted on the handle first causes the relative movement of the cap with respect to the latch member inside the sheath.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A specific, illustrative releasable connection device, according to the present invention, is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the releasable connection device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 a schematically shows the positioning of the connection device and of the corresponding case inside the weight holding pocket of the jacket;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the female member, or sheath, and of the male member, which comprises a latch member inserted in a cap;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the sheath for the device according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are axial cross-sectional views taken along lines VII-VII and VII-VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the cap for the connection device according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a front view of the cap in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the cap in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the cap in FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is an end view of the cap in FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view along line XV-XV in FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the latch member for the device according to the invention;

FIGS. 17 and 18 are front and rear views, respectively, of the latch member in FIG. 16,

FIG. 19 is a side view of the latch member in FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is an end view of the latch member in FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXI-XXI in FIG. 17;

FIGS. 22 and 23 respectively show the device according to the invention when closed and immediately prior to the removal of the pouch from the pocket.

Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to FIGS. 1 to 23, there is shown generally a specific, illustrative connection device, according to various aspects of the present invention. In one embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the device comprises a female member, or sheath, 10 preferably attached to the inside of a weight holding pocket 1 of a scuba diving jacket, as shown in FIG. 2 a. A male member reversibly engaging a snap closure 20 in the sheath comprises a cap 30, to which a latch member 40 is attached. The device is attached to a weight pouch 50, such as one of a conventional type for inserting in pocket 1, as best seen in FIG. 2 a, by a first tape 51 engaged in slot 52 of a flange 53 projecting from sheath 10 and integrally attached to latch member 40. Alongside flange 53 projecting from the sheath, a second flange 54 projects from cap 30 and is formed with a second slot 55, in which a tape 56 terminating with a handle 57 is engaged. The handle is also connected to the weight pouch through a further tape 58, as shown in FIG. 2.

In the following description, the adjective “inner” is intended in the sense of “facing towards the body of the scuba diver”, while the adjective “outer” is intended in the sense of “facing away from the body of the scuba diver”.

With reference to FIGS. 5 to 9, the sheath 10 has a substantially box-like structure with a flat rectangular cross-section and comprises an outer wall 11, substantially in the shape of a flange, fixed in a known manner within the weight holding pocket 1, as shown in FIG. 2 a, two side walls 12 and 13 extending perpendicularly from one side of the outer wall 11, a rear wall 14 also extending from the same side of the outer wall 11 and linking the side walls 12 and 13, and an inner wall 15 parallel to the outer wall 11 and attached to the side walls 12, 13 and the rear wall 14, thereby creating a cavity 16 accessible through an opening 17 opposite the rear wall 14, to enable the insertion of the male member 20 consisting of the cap 30 containing the latch member 40.

On the side of the outer wall 11 facing towards the cavity 16, abutment means are provided in the form of a pair of prism-shaped projections 18, placed symmetrically in relation to the longitudinal axis Y-Y of the device, and a corresponding pair of prism-shaped projections 19, opposite the projections 18, extending from the side of the inner wall 15 facing towards the cavity 16. The distance h1 between the two projections forming a pair, and the distance h2 between the opposite ends of two projections belonging each to a different pair are designed to enable the passage of the latch member 40, as explained later on.

The cap 30, shown in detail in FIGS. 10 to 15, is substantially U-shaped with a pair of parallel arms 31 extending from the flange 54 on the opposite side to the slot 55. The two arms 31 are connected by a diaphragm 32 extending from their base, while a stiffening cross member 33 links their free ends together. Along the two arms 31, there are formed respective grooves 34 with an intermediate section 35 passing from one side of the arms 31 to the other. On the sides of the arms 31 facing one another, there are formed two wings 36 positioned approximately halfway along the length of the arms 31. The wings 36 have edges 37 symmetrically tapered towards the flange 54 and cover only the central part of the thickness of the arms 31 as clearly shown, for instance, in FIG. 10. On the inner side of the diaphragm 32 there is also a tooth 38, the purpose of which will be explained later on.

With reference to FIGS. 16 to 21, the latch member 40 comprises a flange 53, on which the slot 52 is formed, and a pair of parallel arms 59 and 60 extending from the flange 53. In particular, the two arms 59 and 60 extend tangentially from one side of the flange 53. The two arms 59 and 60 have a substantially C-shaped cross-section, defined for each arm by a pair of parallel walls 59 a, b and 60 a, b. Toothed ribs 61 project respectively from the side walls 59 a and 60 a of the arms 59 and 60, while the opposite walls 59 b and 60 b of the arms 59 and 60 are joined by a frame 62 lying on a plane substantially parallel to the flange 53. The frame 62 defines a window 63 divided into two parts by a cross member 64, the purpose of which is explained later on.

A substantially T-shaped bracket 65 extends from the frame 62 on the side opposite the flange 53 and is formed by a bar 65 a and two symmetrical arms 65 b and 65 c bent diagonally back towards the base of the bar 65 a and consequently lying substantially adjacent to and astride the bar 65 a. Teeth 66 project respectively from the free ends of the arms 65 b and 65 c, in the same plane but on opposite sides with respect to the axis of the bar 65 a, with tapered edges 66 a and recesses 66 b on their free edge adjacent to the tapered edge 66 a. As shown in particular in FIGS. 16 and 19, the teeth 66 are thinner than the arms 65 b, c and are arranged in an intermediate position in relation to the thickness of the arms 65 b, c.

The latch member 40 is securely attached to the cap 30 by inserting the side walls 59 a and 60 a in the grooves 34 in the cap 30 so as to engage the toothed ribs 61 with a snap closure inside the through sections 35 in said grooves, as shown in FIG. 4. Once it has been inserted in the cap 30, the latch member 40 abuts with its tapered edges 66 a of the teeth 66 on the bracket 65 against the corresponding tapered edges 37 of the opposite wings 36 on the arms 31 of the cap 30.

When the latch member 40 and the cap 30 have been thus assembled to form the male part 20 of the device, it can be inserted in the sheath 10 through the opening 17. During this axial sliding step inside the sheath 10, the two open arms 65 b and 65 c of the latch member 40 slide between the prism-shaped projections 18 and 19, slidingly abutting against them because the distance h1 between the projections 18 and 19 of each pair is less than the width of the bracket 65 so they bend towards the bar 65 a until the teeth 66, whose thickness is less than the distance h2, have passed completely between the opposite projections 18 and 19. Once they have passed between the projections 18 and 19, the arms 65 b and 65 c open out again, making the tapered edges 66 a of the teeth 66 abut against the tapered edges 37 of the projections 36 on the cap 30, and the projections 18 and 19, having ridden over the free ends of the arms 65 b, 65 c, snap into the recesses 66 b in the teeth 66. In this condition, the male part 20, comprising the cap 30 and the latch member 40, is locked inside the sheath 10 because the projections 18 and 19 in the cap 30 abut against the free ends of the arms 65 b, c and prevent the male part 20 from sliding out.

Bringing a tensile force to bear on the cap 30 by means of the handle 57 and the tape 56 attached to the flange 54 of the cap 30 induces a relative movement of the cap 30 with respect to the latch member 40, given that the latch member 40 cannot move with respect to the sheath 10, whereas the cap 30 can slide in relation to the latch member 40 along the juxtaposed tapered edges 37 and 66 a of the wings 36 and of the teeth 66. This sliding action makes the arms 65 b, c bend towards the bar 65 a until the projections 18, 19 disengage from the respective recesses 66 b at the end of said arms. The arms 65 b,c can thus slide between the projections 18 and 19, and the teeth can pass between the opposite projections 18 and 19 because their thickness is lower than h₂, thereby enabling the male part 20 to slide out of the sheath 10. During this sliding action, the tooth 38 on the diaphragm 32 of the cap 30 abuts against the arched cross member 64 on the frame 62 of the latch member 40 when the tensile force exerted on the cap 30 has made it slide in relation to the latch member 40 to the point where the projections 18, 19 disengage from the corresponding recesses 66 b. The arched crossbar 64 consequently acts as a return spring for the latch member 40 in relation to the cap 30, restoring the contact between the teeth 66 and the wings 36. It should also be noted that said return spring effect of the cross member 64 is auxiliary to the return spring effect naturally exerted by the arms 65 b,c, which tend to return to their undeformed position as soon as they are released from the projections 18 and 19.

It is emphasized that the tape 56 connecting the cap 30 to the handle 57 is shorter than the tape 58 connecting the same handle 57 to the latch member 40. Thus, when the user begins to pull on the handle 57, this tensile force is first transmitted only to the cap 30, which slides a limited distance allowable inside the sheath 10, while the latch member does not move. When the male part 20 has been withdrawn from the sheath 10, pulling further on the handle 57 also induces a tensile stress on the tape 58 connecting the latch member 40 to the weight pouch 50, which can consequently be removed from the pocket of the jacket. It should be noted that the tape 58 connecting the handle 57 to the latch member 40, and the tape 51 connecting the latch member 40 to the weight pouch 50 can consist of a single tape passing through the slot 52 and suitably stitched in place so that it cannot slide therein.

Vice versa, if the weight pouch accidentally comes out of the pocket, it remains attached to the latch member 40, which cannot slide out of the sheath 10 unless a deliberate tensile stress is exerted on the cap 30.

It should be noted that the movement of the cap 30 in relation to the sheath 10 that is needed to bend the arms 65 b, c until the ends of the arms 65 b, c are released from the projections 18 and 19, thereby enabling the sliding motion of the latch member 40 and the opening of the device, constitute a safety feature that prevents any accidental opening of the device.

Various modifications and alterations may be appreciated based on a review of this disclosure. These changes and additions are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims. 

1. A device for releasably connecting a weight pouch to a pocket of a scuba diving jacket, the device comprising: a relatively flat sheath integrally attached to the jacket; a latch member attached to the weight pouch and comprising arms elastically deformable in the plane of the sheath with sides tapered in relation to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the sheath to enable a snap closure when the latch member is inserted in the sheath; an inwardly projecting abutment inside the sheath that engages the ends of the arms when the device is in a closed position, thus preventing any further sliding of the latch member; a member for bending the arms of the latch member so as to release the arms from the position in which they abut the abutment inside the sheath, and thus enable the device to be opened; wherein the bending member comprises a cap slidingly mounted on the latch member, with tapered projections designed to engage the tapered sides of the arms in order to release the ends of the arms from the abutment inside the sheath as a result of relative movement of the cap in relation to the latch member that induces an elastic deformation of the arms, the cap and the latch member being both connected to a handle for inducing the relative movement by respective flexible connection elements, the one connecting the handle to the latch member being generally longer than the one connecting the handle to the cap, whereby pulling on the handle first induces the relative movement of the cap in relation to the latch member contained inside the sheath.
 2. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 1, wherein the abutment means comprise two pairs of opposite projections extending from the two opposite walls inside the sheath, the elastically deformable arms of the latch member having teeth projecting laterally and coplanarly from their ends, the thickness of the teeth being narrower than the distance between the opposite ends of the pairs of projections and lying in an intermediate position between the pairs of projections, the teeth having tapered edges abutting the tapered projections in the cap during the relative movement between the cap and the latch member inside the sheath.
 3. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 1, wherein the cap comprises two generally parallel arms formed with two grooves, an intermediate section of which passes from one side of the arms of the cap to the other, the latch member also comprising a pair of relatively parallel arms from which toothed ribs extend, respectively, designed to engage a snap in the through section in the grooves so as to enable relative movement between the cap and the latch member of an amplitude no greater than the length of the through section.
 4. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 3, wherein the arms of the latch member have a substantially C-shaped cross-section defined, for each arm, by a pair of parallel walls, the toothed ribs extending from the outer sides of the pair of parallel walls.
 5. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 1, wherein the latch member comprises a substantially T-shaped bracket formed by a bar and two relatively symmetrical arms bent diagonally back towards the base of the bar, with the side teeth projecting coplanarly from the free ends of the arms, on opposite sides with respect to the axis of the bar, the teeth having tapered edges designed to engage the tapered projections on the cap, and respective recesses on their free edge adjacent to the tapered edge designed to engage the abutment inside the sheath.
 6. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 1, wherein a tooth projecting from an inner side of the cap abuts a cross member linking the arms of the latch member during relative displacement between the cap and the latch member.
 7. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 6, wherein the opposite sides of the pair of parallel walls forming the arms of the latch member are connected by a frame defining a window containing the cross member, the tooth moving between the cross member and the inner edge of the frame.
 8. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 7, wherein the cross member is in the shape of an arch with its convex side facing the tooth.
 9. The releasable connection device set forth in claim 1, wherein a flange extending from the cap, on the opposite side to the arms of the cap, is formed with a slot to which the handle is flexibly attached, and another flange extending from the latch member, on the opposite side to the arms in the latch member, is formed with a slot by which the weight pouch is flexibly attached to the handle. 